CityLink seeks action on bottlenecks

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It was hailed as a solution to some of Melbourne's worst traffic
problems. Now, four years after it opened, the CityLink tollway is
the focus of a new traffic nightmare - worsening peak-hour
congestion on the roads that feed into it.

Tollway owner Transurban has been in talks with the State
Government about how to fix the problems, particularly at the
intersection of the Tullamarine and Calder freeways.

But the Government has rejected extending tolled areas to the
bottlenecks to pay for necessary works.

Managing director Kim Edwards said he had talked to the
Government about the need to do something about the
interchange.

He said it would cost "well north of $100 million to fix" and
there were options for Transurban to finance the necessary road
improvements.

When asked about using tolls to finance works at the
interchange, Mr Edwards said that was "potentially one way of
handling it". However, Transurban would not put a tolling proposal
to the Government "in this political climate".

About two years ago, Transurban offered to fix the interchange
if its right to charge tolls was extended beyond 2034. The
Government rejected the plan.

Recently the Government signed a contract for the building of
Melbourne's next toll road, the Mitcham-Frankston road, explicitly
allowing the possibility of other toll roads being built.

But a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Peter Batchelor,
referring to problems on roads adjoining CityLink, said yesterday:
"The Government has ruled out the introduction of tolls on existing
roadways and has had no discussions with Transurban about doing
that."

Mr Cox said the section of freeway between the end of Bolte
Bridge and the Domain and Burnley tunnels also experienced
congestion, and works were needed where Warrigal Road intersected
with the Monash Freeway, with traffic banking back on to
CityLink.

Private financing would be necessary for building infrastructure
in the future, Mr Cox said. "Increasing public-private partnerships
is the way forward," he said.

The Government spokeswoman said: "Like in most growing cities,
there are a number of congestion points on Melbourne's road
network, which the Government is addressing sequentially.

"Some projects are large and costly and subject to competing
budget priorities," she said.

Despite the problems on adjoining roads, Transurban's annual
meeting heard yesterday that traffic on CityLink was growing by a
healthy 6 per cent a year.